China is introducing artificial intelligence (AI) education to children as young as six in a bold move to nurture the next wave of tech innovators.
Starting this September, primary and secondary schools in Beijing will offer at least eight hours of AI lessons each academic year, according to a Fortune report. Young students will learn about chatbots, basic AI tools, the technology’s fundamentals, and its ethical implications.
The Beijing Municipal Education Commission announced that schools may integrate AI lessons with existing subjects such as science or IT, or teach them as standalone courses. The city also plans to establish a comprehensive AI curriculum, build a supporting education and training framework, and promote the subject nationwide.
This initiative follows China's increasing investment in AI, especially after the rapid rise of DeepSeek, co-founded by Zhejiang University graduate Liang Wenfeng. The eastern university also produced Unitree’s founder Wang Xingxing, reinforcing hopes that early exposure to AI will yield a new generation of tech giants.
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Beijing’s efforts are part of a broader national strategy. In December, the Ministry of Education selected 184 schools to pilot AI-focused programmes, aiming to set a model for wider implementation. Education Minister Huai Jinpeng called AI the “golden key” to advancing China’s education system.